An Assessment of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Measurement and Standards Laboratories Fiscal Year 2003 (2003) / Chapter Skim
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15 Information Technology Laboratory: Division Reviews
15 Information Technology Laboratory: Division Reviews
Pages 257-278
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From page 257... ...
The division organizes its work around five technical programs: three general areas (Applied Mathematics, Mathematical Software, and High-Performance Computing and Visualization) and two specific, large projects (Quantum Information and the Digital Library of Mathematical Functions)
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From page 258... ...
The Mathematical Software Program has also been very active in standards activities, such as the Java Numerics effort. This remains an area in which NIST is able to have a positive effect on a fastmoving commercial standard primarily because of the strong reputation of division scientists in the technical community and because of the Sparse Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms standard, approved in 2003.
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From page 259... ...
Examples include the work on solidification for the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, visualization of concrete hardening for the Building and Fire Research Laboratory, OOMMF application to a high-profile physics project at the University of Durham, and support of the thousands of scientists who use mathematical resources on the division's Web site. The division's Quantum Information Program has considerable scientific relevance.
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From page 260... ...
The division's work is currently organized in six projects: Networking for Pervasive Computing, Wireless Ad Hoc Networks, Agile Switching Infrastructures, Internet Infrastructure Protection, Internet Telephony, and Quantum Information Networks. The division focuses on using and developing test and measurement tools, technologies, methods, and metrics to guide and improve the quality of networking specifications and standards and to improve the quality and interoperability of commercial networking products.
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From page 261... ...
As part of the NIST-wide initiative in quantum computing, the Quantum Information Networks project is collaborating with the Computer Security Division on protocols and prototypes for quantum cryptography. The division's principal contribution is in the area of key management protocols for quantum key distribution and focuses on an improved communication channel model and the proper selection of error-correcting codes for that channel.
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From page 262... ...
These ambitious initiatives represent promising opportunities for collaborative work with other NIST laboratories, with an associated challenge of developing effective mixes of short- and long-range goals. Program Relevance and Effectiveness The staff of the Advanced Networking Technologies Division continues to be active in industry organizations, including the IETF, IEEE, and the International Telecommunication Union.
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From page 263... ...
The position of leader for the High Speed Network Technologies Group has been filled, which facilitates the group's stability and focus. COMPUTER SECURITY DIVISION Technical Merit The goal of the Computer Security Division is to improve information systems security by raising awareness of information technology risks, vulnerabilities, and protection requirements; advising agencies of information technology vulnerabilities; devising techniques for the cost-effective security and privacy of sensitive federal systems; developing standards, metrics, tests, and validation programs to promote, measure, and validate security in systems and services; and developing and disseminating guidance for managing secure information technology.
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From page 264... ...
The programs under way in the Computer Security Division are appropriate and of high technical merit. The division is composed of four groups: Security Technology, Systems and Network Security, Security Management and Guidance, and Security Testing and Metrics.
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From page 265... ...
The division has adopted the panel's suggestion that CMVP and NIAP not be merged. Program Relevance and Effectiveness Privacy and security are essential to protecting electronic commerce, critical infrastructure, personal privacy, and private and public assets, and so the work of the Computer Security Division makes important contributions to strengthening the U.S.
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From page 266... ...
Division Resources improved the security and quality of cryptoAs of January 2003, staffing for the Computer Security Division included 48 full-time permanent positions and 6 part-time permanent positions. In 2002, $4.7 million of the $15 million division budget was derived from external sources of funding.
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From page 267... ...
O 0 1 INFORMATION ACCESS DIVISION Technical Merit The goal of the Information Access Division (IAD) is to accelerate the development of technologies that allow intuitive and efficient access, manipulation, and exchange of complex information by facilitating the creation of measurement methods and standards.
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From page 268... ...
Test results are eagerly anticipated, because no test of this magnitude and with third-party expertise has ever been performed. Results will be used to make decisions regarding government use of biometrics for visas, border security, and future homeland security tasks.
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From page 269... ...
program, and the National Security Agency sponsors the speaker recognition work. The Automatic Meeting Transcription project provides data for each of these, and will provide its data to the Linguistic Data Consortium.
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From page 270... ...
IAD scientists have contributed more than 50 technical publications and talks. IAD continues to sponsor many workshops, addressing such topics as automatic content extraction, MPEG, rich transcription, speaker recognition, document understanding, INCITS V2, pervasive computing, industry usability reporting, topic detection and tracking, and TREC.
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From page 271... ...
SOFTWARE DIAGNOSTICS AND CONFORMANCE TESTING DIVISION Technical Merit The Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division develops software testing tools and methods that improve quality, conformance to standards, and correctness. The division also participates
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From page 272... ...
Program Relevance and Effectiveness The Software Diagnostics and Conformance Testing Division supports users and providers of software by facilitating improvements in software quality and Interoperability The division develops products such as reference implementations and conformance test suites, provides technical leadership by chairing standards committees and participating in consortia, and lays the groundwork for overall advances in this field by researching improved methods of conformance testing. NIST's role as an active but neutral third party in standards processes, coupled with the outstanding quality of the conformance tests developed by the division, provides government and industry with a service that is both necessary and unique.
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From page 273... ...
STATISTICAL ENGINEERING DIVISION Technical Merit The goal of the Statistical Engineering Division is to advance measurement science and technology through collaboration on NIST multidisciplinary research projects by the development of statistical methods for measurement and metrology and by the application of statistical methodology to the collection and analysis of data critical to NIST scientists and engineers and to U.S. commerce.
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From page 274... ...
Program Relevance and Effectiveness The Statistical Engineering Division is providing high-quality statistical support to collaborators and clients throughout NIST. While most efforts are intra-NIST collaborations, the division has been involved in activities of direct benefit to customers outside NIST.
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From page 275... ...
The integration of the Statistical Engineering Division into many of the ITL ventures could be stronger, including new ITL initiatives contributing to nanoscale measurement science and homeland security. For example, the biometrics efforts could take advantage of new criteria for combining infor-O 1 O .
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From page 276... ...
conducts research on, develops, and increasingly promotes integrated systems, architectures, applications, and infrastructure for the exchange, storage, and manifestation of digital content; it also explores their scalability, feasibility, and realization for new applications. CISD currently applies its competency in electronics, physics, computer science, and engineering to high-impact areas that include homeland security, health care, e-commerce, and knowledge management.
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From page 277... ...
This effort is an important part of the wider NIST quantum information program. The work in the area of content consumption and digital preservation (content storage)
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From page 278... ...
The digital preservation, quantum technology, and biometrics work would progress better with the addition of a full-time employee to each project. The panel's concern in the FY 2002 assessment about funding and staff shortfalls has been addressed by the division's obtaining additional funds for the quantum work and closing a $450,000 shortfall by preparing successful funding proposals and by engaging in interdivisional work.
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